Selling Successfully with Social Proof
Social proof is the notion the possibility that people who are potential customers, readers or even followers take a choice based on a larger number of people's prior decisions. Fast Company states that you can narrow down the subject to five distinct types of social proof:
- The wisdom of your buddies
- Advice from huge crowds
- User social proof
- Social proof from famous people
- Social proof from a credible professional
Let's examine how you can utilize social proof to sell more and provide suggestions for determining the best type of social proof to utilize for your organization.
Peer pressure is a joke in school, cool for company
If you take a look at all five of the social proof types we talked about above, three of them have one thing in common: they are all about peer pressure.
When you hear about a new movie from your buddies and they are all discussing the film, you are left out, so you go see the movie.
When you gain some wisdom about a product from large audiences, you are not just a frightening attraction. Why do 500,000 people follow this company on Facebook? I need to investigate to figure out the reason behind all the hype is concerning.
When you see that previous users rave about the product or company It's hard to resist the urge to walk away. Think about the times you are on the edge of a purchase on Amazon, so you scroll down to read reviews which are usually the factors that influence your choice.
Consider what you're looking for when searching for videos to view on YouTube. Let's say you're looking for a music clip and two options come up in the same music. Which one would you choose to view? Which one has 500 views or the one with 50,000? You might think the one with 500 is less genuine, isn't it?
This type of social proof makes the crowd increase sales of products. If you're looking to utilize this method, it's up to you to locate individuals who are passionate about your company. If you don't have a sizable social following, ask the most recent customers to provide you with a quality review that you can post on your website instead.
Paying for social proof vs. bringing it in naturally
Two other common forms of social proof include the purchase of the endorsement of a popular celebrity as well as setting up an online star rating system where people can comment on and rate your products or products or.
For a quick summary to make it easier for you: each perform well. If you're able to get Phil Mickelson talking about your bottle opener and golf glove and your clients see it as a credible source and flock to your product.
On the other hand, if you have a rating system with 200 good reviews, and the 4.5 star rating for the cracking gloves that you sell, you're sure to boost the sales.
The major differences between these two social proof examples is time and cost. When you pay an expert who is credible or a the media, you need to part ways with a significant amount of cash upfront. It is likely that you will raise your revenue, but what happens when you can no longer afford to cover the cost of the persona?
By using a rating system, you can build credibility naturally, and your ratings last all the time. You might also find that the 200 ratings of regular Joes can be more convincing than the smiling face of somebody such as Mickelson.
Stories or statistics?
Studies conducted by psychological experts Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons suggests that stories carry unshakeable power in the world of selling online.
It is often a debate the best way to incorporate statistics or stories on your product pages and blog content, but as per this research the latter is the best choice for you.
What is the reason for this? A For a brief moment and then they're transported to another world. It prompts them to believe that you are an authority figure since you've had an experience that's pertinent.
Statistics, on the other side, are an excellent way to grab attention and prove your point. However, they don't stick on the mind of your customers. If you mention a percentage or average, people think for a moment... before they completely forget the details. This makes it more difficult to use a stats report to aid in selling things in the course of your sales funnel.
An interesting story is one of the most powerful forms of social proof you can utilize. Imagine you sell a revolutionary kind of hiking boots. Which is going to help the sales of more shoes: an analysis of the number of people end up with sore feet following a hike, or a story about what you did on the Pacific Crest Trail and found that your boots of the future stood well without causing even a sore toe?
What if your Social verification is unsubstantial?
What if you have just a little bit of social proof, but nothing to really brag about? According to an interesting post from the Visual Website Optimizer blog, Anne Stahl argues that lower social proof areas can actually hurt you when trying to achieve certain goals.
Anne's article focuses primarily about social media. As an example, if for instance you've got an account for social media followers on your website, and it only shows a few of followers, this may make potential customers or readers believe that you're not worth buying since no one's following your account.
This is the same for the share counters you have on your products pages and blog content. If they're in the single digits, how can you keep people from thinking that nobody liked the product or the content you have to offer?
In a nutshell, you should consider the possibility that not having social proof may be better than having low social proof. It is a good idea to add links to your social media accounts However, you don't have to display the follower number. If your product isn't commonly shared, consider the option of hiding your social media options, or utilizing a plugin to combine the options into one "share" screen.
Conclusion
Your social proof fully depends upon how you think about your strategy prior to the time. It's not easy to gain a audience if you have to completely eliminate your social media buttons and ratings platforms because you're concerned about the impact on your image.
What types of social proof do you apply to your website? What are the results for you? Please let us know in the comments!
Image sources: Jurgen Appelo, TourProGolfClubs